Tug toy

ABSTRACT

A tug toy that includes at least two gripping members and a central portion, wherein the at least two gripping members are attached to the central portion, and wherein the central portion further includes a noise maker.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to tug toys, particularly a tug toy usedby pets.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The use of toys to entertain animals, particularly pets, have beenwidely used in the pet supply industry for many different purposes. Forexample, tug toys keep pets occupied. Tug toys also allow pets to chewon an object when they are “teething,” they allow owners to play “fetch”with their pets, and tug toys can also be used to play with and/or traindogs. Noise makers such as squeak toys are known, however, there iscurrently no tug toy that emits a sound when at least two pets, or a petand its owner, pull a tug toy. Therefore, what is needed is a tug toythat emits a sound when at least two pets, or a pet and its owner, pullboth members of the tug toy.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The embodiments of the claimed invention pertain to tug toys, which maybe used by pets.

In one embodiment of the claimed invention, a tug toy includes at leasttwo gripping members and a central portion, wherein said at least twogripping members are attached to said central portion, and wherein saidcentral portion further includes a noise maker.

In one embodiment of the claimed invention, said at least two grippingmembers comprise a first gripping member and a second gripping member,wherein said central portion further comprises: a cover thatencapsulates a first retainer, a second retainer, and said noise maker,wherein said first and second retainer are attached to said firstgripping member and said second gripping member, and wherein said noisemaker is positioned between said first strap and said second retainer.

In one embodiment of the claimed invention, said tug toy furtherincludes a third retainer, wherein said third retainer is attached tosaid first strap and said second retainer.

In another embodiment of the claimed invention, said cover is attachedby a method selected from the group consisting of sewing, stitching,double-stitching, inner-stitching, and inner-double-stitching.

In yet another embodiment of the claimed invention, said tug toy furtherincludes a third gripping member.

In still another embodiment of the claimed invention, said firstgripping member, said second gripping member, and said third grippingmember are equidistantly spaced from one another.

In another embodiment of the claimed invention, said at least twogripping members are a truncated triangular shape.

In yet another embodiment of the claimed invention, said at least twogripping members have an aperture.

In still another embodiment of the claimed invention, said at least twogripping members each include two pieces of fabric material attached bystitching.

In another embodiment of the claimed invention, said at least twogripping members further include padding between said two pieces offabric material.

In yet another embodiment of the claimed invention, said at least twogripping members further include an attached portion, two sides, and anunattached portion.

In still another embodiment of the claimed invention, said attachedportion is about two inches in length, wherein said two sides are aboutthree inches in length, and wherein said unattached portion is aboutfour inches in length.

In another embodiment of the claimed invention, said noise maker is asqueak ball.

In another embodiment of the claimed invention, a tug toy capable ofbeing gripped by a pet, said tug toy includes first and second means forgripping said tug toy, attached to a central portion; means for makingnoise retained in said central portion; and means for compressing anddecompressing said means for making noise.

In one embodiment of the claimed invention, said tug toy furtherincludes a third means for gripping said tug toy, attached to saidcentral portion.

In another embodiment of the claimed invention, said tug toy furtherincludes means of enhancing said at least two gripping members' grippingcapability.

In yet another embodiment of the claimed invention, a tug toy capable ofbeing gripped by a pet, said tug toy includes at least two grippingmembers, a noise maker, and a cover, wherein said at least two grippingmembers are each formed by attaching two half-members, wherein said atleast two gripping members are attached to one another, and wherein saidnoise maker is encapsulated by said cover and said at least two grippingmembers.

In one embodiment of the claimed invention, said tug toy furtherincludes a retaining strap.

In another embodiment of the claimed invention, said at least twogripping members further includes an aperture.

In yet another embodiment of the claimed invention, said at least twogripping members includes two sides, an outer edge, and an inner edge,wherein said inner edge is about two inches in length, said two sidesare about three inches in length, and said outer edge is about fourinches in length.

It should also be understood that the various embodiments and aspects ofthe claimed invention may also be combined, except where the embodimentsand aspects are not compatible in nature.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a top view of an embodiment of the claimed invention.

FIG. 2 is a top view of another embodiment of the claimed invention.

FIG. 3 is a side view of an embodiment of the claimed invention.

FIG. 4 is a top view of an embodiment of the claimed invention with thecover removed.

FIG. 5 is a side view of an embodiment of the claimed invention in acompressed position and non-compressed position.

FIG. 6 is a top view of yet another embodiment of the claimed invention.

FIG. 7 is a side view of yet another embodiment of the claimedinvention.

FIG. 8 is a top view of another embodiment of the claimed invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE CLAIMED INVENTION

Referring now to the figures which are shown for purposes ofillustrating embodiments of the invention only and not for purposes oflimiting the same, FIGS. 1-5 show a tug toy 1 that may comprise a firstgripping member 2, a second gripping member 3, and a central portion 4.The central portion 4 may further comprise a cover 5, a first retaineror strap 6, a second retainer or strap 7, a third retainer or strap 8,and a noise maker 9. The first gripping member 2 and the second grippingmember 3 may comprise two sides 11, an attached portion 12, and anunattached portion 13. The attached portion 12 is the portion connectingthe first gripping member 2 and the second gripping member 3 to thecentral portion 4. The first gripping member 2 and the second grippingmember 3 may also be planar and on opposing sides of the central portion4. FIGS. 1 and 3-5 show the tug toy 1 as having two gripping members,however, more than two may be utilized in the claimed invention as shownin FIG. 2, with a third gripping member 10. The first gripping member 2,the second griping member 3, and the third gripping member 10 may beequidistantly spaced from one another, or they may not be equidistantlyspaced from one another. One gripping member may be closer to anothergripping member while being further from the other gripping member.

Moreover, the first gripping member 2, the second gripping member 3, thethird gripping member 10, the cover 5, the first strap 6, the secondstrap 7, and the retaining strap 8 may be attached to one another bysewing, stitching, double-stitching, inner-stitching,inner-double-stitching, or by any other method realized by persons ofordinary skill in the art, which may be strong enough to withstand theconstant pulling and chewing by the pets, particularly dogs. The firstgripping member 2, the second gripping member 3, the third grippingmember 10, the cover 5, the first strap 6, and the second strap 7 may bemade of a fabric material such as cotton, wool, nylon, polyester, andany other fabric material that may be realized by persons of ordinaryskill in the art. There may also be padding or stuffing inside the firstgripping member 2, the second gripping member 3, and the third grippingmember 10 to support or enhance the pet's ability to grip the tug toy.

The noise maker 9 may be enclosed by the first strap 6, the second strap7, and the retaining strap 8 so that the noise maker 9 may beencapsulated within the central portion 4. The noise maker 9 may also bea squeak ball. The first strap 6 may wrap over the top of the noisemaker 9, while the second strap 7 may wrap under the bottom of the noisemaker 9, or vice versa. The third retainer or strap 8 may also wraparound the sides of the noise maker 9, thereby encircling the noisemaker 9. The retaining strap 8 may also be made of an elastic materialsuch as a rubber band, elastic band, or any other elastic material thatmay be realized by persons of ordinary skill in the art that may expandand contract while still surrounding an object.

When the first gripping member 2 and the second gripping member 3 arepulled simultaneously, as shown in FIG. 5, the first strap 6 and thesecond strap 7 may compress the noise maker 9, which then emits a sound.The sound may be a high-pitched sound such as a squeak. After the firstgripping member 2 or the second gripping member 3 is released or broughtclosing to one another, the noise maker 9 may decompress, inflate withair, and emit a similar high-pitched sound. The operation of compressionand decompression of the noise maker 9 may also include the thirdgripping member 10.

The first gripping member 2 and the second gripping member 3 may be atruncated triangular shape that may also include an aperture that mayallow a pet to obtain a more firm grip on the tug toy 1. Moreover, thelengths of the two sides of the first gripping member 2 and the secondgripping member 3 may vary depending on the type of pet the tug toy 1 isdesigned for and whether the tug toy 1 is a small, medium, or largeversion. In one embodiment of the claimed invention, with respect to thefirst gripping member 2 and the second gripping member 3, the attachedportion may be about two inches, the two sides may be about threeinches, and the unattached portion may be about four inches. The thirdgripping member 10 may also have similar or equivalent physicalcharacteristics, dimensions, and proportions as the first grippingmember 2 and the second gripping member 3.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show another embodiment of the claimed invention, a tugtoy 10 that may comprise of a first gripping member 100, a secondgripping member 200, an end connecting portion 60, and end connectingportion 60′, a member forming portion 70, a first retainer or strap 80,a noise maker 90, and a cover (not shown), wherein the first grippingmember 100 may be further comprised of a first-half member 20 and asecond-half member 40, and wherein the second gripping member 200 may befurther comprised of a third-half member 30 and a fourth-half member 50.The first-half member 20, the second-half member 40, the third-halfmember 30, and the fourth-half member 50 may be four similarly shapedand made of similarly equivalent fabric material. The first grippingmember 100 and the second gripping member 200 may be attached to oneanother at the end connecting portion 60 and 60′. The first-half member20 and the second-half member 40 may form the first gripping member 100by attaching to one another by forms of attachment as discussed above atthe member forming portion 70. The third-half member 30 and thefourth-half member 50 may also form the second gripping member 200 byattaching to one another by forms of attachment as discussed above atthe member forming portion 70. The first gripping member 100, the secondgripping member 200, and the cover may encapsulate the noise maker andoperate similar to the embodiment of the claimed invention as describedabove.

FIG. 8 shows a tug toy 1000 may also be constructed of a rubber materialthat may be molded to form the shape of the tug toy 10 as described inFIGS. 1-7. The tug toy 1000 may be a monolithic tug toy, wherein thenoise maker 9, not shown, may be inserted into the interior of themonolithic tug toy by an opening 14. The opening 14 may be a slit ororifice that may allow an object the size of the noise maker 9 to beinserted and yet still retain its elastic properties, such as “closing”after the noise maker 9 has been inserted into the tug toy 1000 andthereafter retaining the noise maker 9 within the tug toy 1000. The tugtoy 1000 may also be comprised of multiple portions, such as an upperportion and a lower portion, that may be molded and then later attachedto form the tug toy 1000. Prior to attachment of the upper and lowerportion, the noise maker 9 may be positioned towards the center andbetween the upper and lower portion, in order to retain the noise maker9 upon attachment. The rubber material used to form the tug toy 1000 maybe made of a rubber and/or like materials that may withstand theconstant pulling and chewing from pets. Moreover, the multiple portions,such as the upper and lower portions, may be attached to one another bya method that can secure multiple rubber portions together and yetwithstand the constant pulling and chewing from pets.

The invention has been described herein with reference to the disclosedembodiments. Obviously, modifications and alterations will occur toothers upon a reading and understanding of this specification. It isintended to include all such modifications and alterations insofar asthey come within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalencethereof.

1. A tug toy comprising: at least two gripping members and a centralportion, wherein said at least two gripping members are attached to saidcentral portion, and wherein said central portion further includes anoise maker.
 2. The tug toy as defined in claim 1, wherein said at leasttwo gripping members comprise a first gripping member and a secondgripping member, wherein said central portion further comprises: a coverthat encapsulates a first retainer, a second retainer, and said noisemaker, wherein said first and second retainer are attached to said firstgripping member and said second gripping member, and wherein said noisemaker is positioned between said first retainer and said secondretainer.
 3. The tug toy as defined in claim 1, wherein said tug toyfurther comprises a third retainer, wherein said third retainer isattached to said first retainer and said second retainer.
 4. The tug toyas defined in claim 1, wherein said cover is attached by a methodselected from the group consisting of sewing, stitching,double-stitching, inner-stitching, and inner-double-stitching.
 5. Thetug toy as defined in claim 1, wherein said tug toy further comprises athird gripping member.
 6. The tug toy as defined in claim 5, whereinsaid first gripping member, said second gripping member, and said thirdgripping member are equidistantly spaced from one another.
 7. The tugtoy as defined in claim 1, wherein said at least two gripping membersare a truncated triangular shape.
 8. The tug toy as defined in claim 1,wherein said at least two gripping members have an aperture.
 9. The tugtoy as defined in claim 1, wherein said at least two gripping memberseach comprise two pieces of fabric material attached by stitching. 10.The tug toy as defined in claim 9, wherein said at least two grippingmembers further comprise padding between said two pieces of fabricmaterial.
 11. The tug toy as defined in claim 1, wherein said at leasttwo gripping members further comprise an attached portion, two sides,and an unattached portion.
 12. The tug toy as defined in claim 11,wherein said attached portion is about two inches in length, whereinsaid two sides are about three inches in length, and wherein saidunattached portion is about four inches in length.
 13. The tug toy asdefined in claim 1, wherein said noise maker is a squeak ball.
 14. A tugtoy capable of being gripped by a pet, said tug toy comprising: firstand second means for gripping said tug toy, attached a central portion;means for making noise retained in said central portion; and means forcompressing and decompressing said means for making noise.
 15. The tugtoy as defined in claim 14, wherein said tug toy further comprises athird means for gripping said tug toy, attached to said central portion.16. The tug toy as defined in claim 14, wherein said tug toy furthercomprises means of enhancing said at least two gripping members'gripping capability.
 17. A tug toy capable of being gripped by a pet,said tug toy comprising: at least two gripping members, a noise maker,and a cover, wherein said at least two gripping members are each formedby attaching two half-members, wherein said at least two grippingmembers are attached to one another, and wherein said noise maker isencapsulated by said cover and said at least two gripping members. 18.The tug toy as defined in claim 17, wherein said tug toy furthercomprises a first retainer.
 19. The tug toy as defined in claim 17,wherein said at least two gripping members further comprises anaperture.
 20. The tug toy as defined in claim 17, wherein said at leasttwo gripping members comprises two sides, an outer edge, and an inneredge, wherein said inner edge is about two inches in length, said twosides are about three inches in length, and said outer edge is aboutfour inches in length.